Child Labor in the Victorian Era

Child Labor in the Victorian Era

Background Information

Chloe Kim

Children in the Victorian Era (1830s~1900)

I. Wealthy Children

• constant prodding to be proper and polite
• monotonous routine
• no parental communication
• Winston Churchill: "count the times he had been hugged by mother"
• raised by nanny

Price, Paxton

Child Labor

Origins, Types of Jobs, Life of the Children

Responses to Child Labor

ㅡCoal Mines

Steam

Factory and Textile Mills

Literary Responses

• #1 source of energy
• from trains and steamships
• very attractive b/c of small size
• tight spaces, less pay

Where did it Start?

Legislation

b/c of society, passively attacked the situation

• Charles Dickins
• A Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield
• Elizabeth Browning
• The Cry of the Children

cheap, effective labor

• size and youthful energy
• dirtiest jobs were given
• clean machines while running
• rampant injuries
• beaten or fined for falling asleep, more like slavery

• dreadful working conditions
• darkness
• permanent problems with sight
• 12-18 hrs
• dust -> respiratory problems
• spine problems
• constant death threats

"Do ye hear the children weeping, O my brothers,

Ere the sorrow comes with years?

They are leaning their young heads against their mothers—

And that cannot stop their tears."

• not an invention of Industrial Revolution
• always there, as soon as possible
• but, new jobs b/c of factories
• simple tasks
• became norm
• age
• started as young as 4 years old
• by 10 years old, all had jobs

Price, Paxton

Charles Dickens

Child Labor

1. 1833 Factory Act,

banned children from working in textile factories under the age of nine. From nine to thirteen they were limited to nine hours a day and 48 hours a week.

2.The Chimney Sweepers and Chimneys Regulation Act of 1840

Under this act it was not legal to make someone or even allow person under the age of 21 to climb up or into a chimney for the purpose of cleaning it.

3.1850 The Ten Hour Act,

set the working day for all workers at ten and a half hours. 1867 Factory Act, the legislation was extended to all workshops with more than 50 workers.

Child Labor

1832 Michael Sadler Case

Background Information

Mr. Matthew Crabtrecalled in; and Examined.

Were you always in time? — No.

What was the consequence if you had been too late? — I was most commonly beaten.

Severely? — Very severely, I thought.

In those mills is chastisement towards the latter part of the day going on perpetually? — Perpetually.

So that you can hardly be in a mill without hearing constant crying? — Never an hour, I believe.

Chimney Sweeps

Cartoon by Robert Cruikshank's "English Factory Slaves: Their Daily Employment"

Peter Smart, called in; and Examined.

What kinds of Jobs?

You say you were locked up night and day? — Yes.

Do the children ever attempt to run away? — Very often.

Were they pursued and brought back again? — Yes, the overseer pursued them, and brought them back.

Did you ever attempt to run away? — Yes, I ran away twice.

And you were brought back? — Yes; and I was sent up to the master's loft, and thrashed with a whip for running away.

Were you bound to this man? — Yes, for six years.

Children in the Victorian Era (1830s~1900)

• some were young as 3 years old
• tiny size made them good for going down narrow chimney
• child's arm, elbow, legs to be scraped raw
• no skin at all
• Falling was major fear
• described as always with soot

Coal mines, Laundry, Chimney Sweep, Sweated Trades, Factory Worker, Matchmaking, Farm Worker, Textile Mill, Domestic Servant...

II. Poor Children

Brief History

Corporation of London, London Metropolitan Archives

• very different life than wealthy families
• more intimate than wealthier families
• source of income
• no extravagant toys, clothes, fine foods

Bibliography

Price, Paxton

Works Cited

"Brief History of Our Craft." Ruchala Chimney Sweeping. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2015. <http://www.ruchalachimney.com/history.html>.

"Child Labor During the Industrial Revolution 2." APWorldHistoryWiki -. Tangient LLC, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2015. <https://apworldhistorywiki.wikispaces.com/Child+Labor+During+the+Industrial+Revolution+2>.

Cody, David. "Child Labor." Child Labor. The Victorian Web, 10 Dec. 2008. Web. 31 Mar. 2015. <http://www.victorianweb.org/history/hist8.html>.

Col, Laura Del. "Mr. Cobbett's Discovery." Life of Ninteenth-Century Workers. The Victorian Web, 22 July 2002. Web. 01 Apr. 2015. <http://www.victorianweb.org/history/workers1.html>.

Frost, Ginger Suzanne. "Child Labor in Victorian Britain." Victorian Childhoods. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2009. N. pag. Print.

Griffin, Emma. "Child Labour." British Library. British Library Board, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2015. <http://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/child-labour#>.

Gubar, Marah. "Historical Essays: The Victorian Child." Historical Essays: The Victorian Child. University of Pittsburgh, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2015. <http://www.representingchildhood.pitt.edu/victorian.htm>.

Price, Paxton. "Victorian Children in Victorian Times and How They Lived." Victorian Children. N.p., 11 Dec. 2012. Web. 31 Mar. 2015. <http://www.victorianchildren.org/victorian-children-in-victorian-times/>.